Opus Northwest LLC designed the Luther College Sampson-Hoffland Laboratories project, an energy efficient facility in Decorah, Iowa.

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Opus Northwest LLC is a division of The Opus Group, a $2.2 billion national real estate development company. It is headquartered in Minneapolis and provides in-house services for office, industrial, retail, multifamily, government and institutional projects.

Since it was founded in 1953, the company has developed more than 84.8 million square feet of projects. It currently has 8.8 million square feet of projects planned or under development, it says, one being the Sampson-Hoff­land Laboratories project for Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Construction of the $20 million, 70,000-square-foot chemistry and biology building began in June 2007, and will be completed in time for the upcoming school year, Project Manager Matt Van­der Pol says. “We’re just wrapping it up,” he says. “There are only a few remaining punch list items.”   

Vander Pol had overseen one project for Luther College prior to spending six years in the retail sector. He welcomed the chance to be able to work with Luther College once again, especially on such an interesting and challenging project, he adds.

He recently took time to speak to Construction Today ab­out the challenges of the project, as well as some sustainable and design features that were included in the building.

Construction Today: What were some of the challenges you encountered on this project?

Matt Vander Pol: One challenge was the vibration criteria. Early in the design process, Luther College required that the building meet vibration criteria suitable for optical microscopes to 1,000 times magnification. Aside from the micro­scopes, the building occupants use a variety of sensitive eq­uipment in the labs and if there is too much vibration their work could be compromised.

Typically, such criteria would dictate structural concrete, but with a modified structural steel design and the aid of a vibration consultant, we were able to utilize a structural steel design. Our final design was less expensive and all­owed us to maintain our schedule.

The modified steel design used columns on both sides of the corridors to dampen the effects of foot traffic on the laboratories. Thicker slabs throughout the building and oversized mechanical slabs in the mechanical penthouse were used to in­crease mass, which offset the vibration.

The mechanical system was also a chall­enge. This lab building has roof drain plum­­bing, sanitary sewer, acid waste, a domestic water system, industrial hot and cold water, a four-pipe heating and cooling system, 86 degree eye wash water, de-ionized water, and lab gas and vacuum services. The multiple plumbing – al­ong with fan coil units, ductwork and lab ex­haust – made plenum coordination a (major) challenge. 

Another challenge was the decision to seek LEED certification at the end of the design development phase. In re-ass­ess­ing the design of the building, we found that only a few minor modifications were re­quired to achieve LEED certification.

CT: What were some of the sustainable features incorporated in this project?
MV: On the mechanical side, we used a dedicated outside air system known as DOAS. Our HVAC systems works by having two large energy recovery air-handling units in the mechanical penthouse pro­vide supply air through the ceiling plen­­um at a neutral 69 degrees. The heavy exhaust requirement of a laboratory building is what makes this system work: the ducted exhaust in the labs is used to draw fresh air from the plenum into occ­upied spaces. Individual fan coil units are provided to temper each space to the thermostat setting.

The air-handling units in the penthouse use 100 percent outside air for supply and they exhaust directly to out­side through Strobic Air fans. Both units contain a latent and sensible energy recovery wheel as well as dehumidification and humidifying capabilities.

The Strobic Air fans mix the exhaust with fresh air and blasts it up into the atm­osphere to ensure no harmful contaminants are pulled back into the buil­ding.   

There are also occupancy sensors in each occupied room, which not only controls the lighting, but also the HVAC set back and exhaust air exchanges. We are anticipating LEED silver certification.

CT: Are there any design features you wanted to mention?
MV: The front main entrance is a link between the new building and Luther’s ex­isting science building.

The link opens up into a 1,840-square-feet two-story atrium that is two-thirds the width of the buil­d­ing. Both the exterior curtain wall and the upper-level balcony are curvilinear, which provides for a very open feel and really highlights the building from the main campus.

Luther’s campus standard is to provide open areas in their buildings to encourage the students to study and interact on campus. Each level of the Sampson Hoff­land Laboratories building has a student lounge that is 2,030 square feet and contains tables, furniture and connection points to use laptops. They’re great areas for students to simply hang out.

CT: How will this new science building benefit the university

MV: The Sampson-Hoffland Laborat­ories is a top-notch, state-of-the-art building which will allow students and faculty to safely conduct research and education in a building that is energy effic­ient, attractive, and comfortable. It will also be a huge asset in recruiting potential students.